Adelyne : Eleven Months

Adelyne is growing up too fast! Eleven months? I can't even grasp this. Since she's our last I think these moments are hitting me extra hard. Its bittersweet to watch her grow and develop out of the baby stage, it makes my heart hurt, I just want her to stay my small little baby forever.

She now weighs about 18lbs 4oz. She is chasing after her brother and sister. Her latest trick is giving kisses, but only on her terms, letting you know by using her other trick by ferociously shaking her head "no". She's a curious button, always pointing and looking at things in bewilderment (I'm trying desperately to catch it on camera).  And last but not least, this girl knows how to throw a fit, I'm talkin' the sprawled out, head in the floor, legs flailing, complete and usually inconsolable meltdowns, and typically a sure sign she is ready for bed... immediately... go to bed, go directly to bed, do not pass go, do not collect $200.

Adelyne : Six + Seven Month Update

It is almost a daily  occurrence where I am looking at Adelyne amazed and being hit with pangs of sadness because my baby girl is growing so fast! I haven't the foggiest how she went from a squishy immobile newborn to this miniature person who holds her own ...honestly... how?! 

She is now seven months old, half way to eight! Over the past two months she has changed enormously! 

At her six month check up she weighed in at 6.76kg (14.9 lbs) and was measuring 63.5cm (25 in.). She's slowed down a little bit in her growth, but nothing alarming since the two before her are petite themselves. It was one week before her half birthday that she officially started crawling, she was rolling places weeks before, but this is when she finally figured out how to move her legs and hands consecutively to propel herself forward. And by propel I mean it, this girl goes places, she's fast and sneaky! She also started solids around five and half months which she has taken to quite fondly, but thats another post!

Lately she's following in her brothers footsteps and discovered that the floor holds endless possibility of appetizers... we are constantly pulling bits of who knows what outta her mouth! I'll note right now that I vacuum daily... if not twice daily... and she STILL manages to find things! I like to call her hurricane Adie because she's also learned how to pull herself up on things and likes to clear all items from their rightful places, the living room is in a constant state of disaster. fun times. fun times. As for things she struggles with, the big one is sleep, and is as stubborn as mule when it comes to sleeping in her crib, she also has mommy separation issues... its hard some days, I'm a person who desperately needs my own space, too much clinginess throws me over the edge! But on a bright note she continues to love music and will perk right up with bright eyes and smiles when you sing to her... a current fave is "Itsy Bitsy Spider".

Adelyne : Four & Five Months

Our lovely little Adelyne hit her five month birthday on boxing day! We have been so busy that I missed her four month update so here I will try to remember the milestones in correct order and update both months. 

Four Months

At her four month check up she weighed in just over 13.5 lbs and was beginning to roll consistently from back to front and front to back. She started cracking more smiles at us which was pretty sweet. It was also around her four month mark that she got her first cold. She was congested in her chest, days and weeks went by and it just lingered on, so after the third week she developed a sporadic congested wheeze, which was a tad concerning because there's asthma in my family history, so that is when I broke down and took her to the doctor. The doctor agreed that her wheeze is concerning but due to her having a cold its really hard to give a clear diagnosis on whether she truly does have asthma or just a bacterial infection that just needed to run its long drawn out course. Just in case we went home with asthma medication and a special infant inhaler to use for a week and then to use as needed after that. Long story short the wheeze subsided and the cold lingered for a few more weeks and she has a check up in the next couple days.

Five Months

This girl experienced her first Christmas, first snow (if we could really call it that...), and met her aussie living Aunt Dani & Uncle Sam for the first time! She really began getting herself about during this month, she's not quite crawling, but she's definitely not staying where I leave her. She's also started giggling when tickled or watching her crazy brother and sister. Her favorite toy so far has been her Lamaze sensory octopus, its got lots of legs to grab a hold of or in her case to chew on. She loves her hands, they are regularly stuffed in her mouth, or shes attempting to suck her thumb all the while trying to suck on her soother... I think she's just mastering the skill of multitasking early on.

Adie's first Christmas (ps. why am I not in this picture?)

Snuggles with Great Gramma GG

Sweet moment with Gramma Jamma

Adelyne : Three Months

Adelyne is three months! To be honest, she was 3 months two weeks ago, Im a tad behind the game! At her three month checkup with the doctor she weighed in at 12.5 lbs, she's already half the size of her big brother!

She is still one calm little baby. Rarely does she lose it, she just lets us know her needs and is happy to just hang out watching us all zoom around her. She is starting to smile and babble way more. She's lasting longer playing on her tummy and has even rolled twice from tummy to back! We've also noticed she loves the TV or computer screen, haha i know not the greatest thing to be proud of but its pretty funny watching her trying to turn her whole body just to get a glimpse of it

Adelyne : Two Months

Our baby girl, Adelyne, is two months old... ALREADY! Time Please Stop. Just Stop.

Time is going too quickly, and I know I say it all the time, but seriously! I love that she's growing and developing but I miss my tiny little smushed up newborn. No more are the womb froggy legs, this girl likes to stand straight legged and really likes it when we help her bounce up and down... my arms however do not (I have pathetically weak arms!). 

At her two month vaccinations she weighed in at 11 lbs, and stands tall at 22 inches. She's starting to give us big toothless grins that could melt your heart in a second. She is able to combat crawl herself forward... I'm honestly in awe of her strength. And she has finally got her nights and days sorted out, she goes to bed at a reasonable hour and sleeps a solid 8−9 hours, it's absolutely amazing!

Zachery : 18 Months

Our Zachery hit a milestone just the other day, he's one and a half! Dang, it's so hard to believe! When I look at him I still see so much baby but reality is... my baby boy is growing up into a full fledged toddler. He's so full of life, runs wherever he goes, climbs whatever he can, and a boy who likes to get dirty every chance he can get. He's awesome!

18 Month Stats:

Weight: 23 lbs.

Height: 31 in.
Teeth: 10.5 (4 on top, 3.5 on bottom, 1 top and two bottom molars)

Diaper Size: 3

Clothing Size: 18m in pants, 24m in shirts

Shoe Size: 4

Words:

Mum‐ma

Dadee

Bub‐ba [milk]

Baaa [Ball]

Daaa [Dog]

Et‐it [Get it]

Ird [Dirty]

Entle [Gentle]

Ickel [Pickle]

Favourite Things To Eat:

Everything. Kidding, sort of... I call him the bottomless pit, he's happy eating anything! But some of his favorites for sure are: pickles, popcorn, cucumber, blueberries, grapes, kiwi, and yogurt.

Just Discovered:

The latest discovery has been his belly button. You can ask him where it is and he lifts his shirt and jabs himself in the belly repeatedly all while cracking up into the giggles. 

Within the last month he or I guess we discovered he's ready for bigger challenges, like feeding himself. No more help from Mom and Dad, he wants to do it all on his own otherwise he will not eat.

Things he loves :

Our little man loves to go outside, loves it! He brings me his shoes, hat, jacket, all of the above because he knows those things mean going outside. If he hears the door open, he bolts, any chance to escape he tries his darnedest and if he gets caught, get ready for a very sad little boy. 

He absolutely loves dogs! The excitement that comes out of him when he sees one on tv, in person, in a picture, or hears barking... pulls at my heart strings, because honestly, I never want a dog. I can only hope his stuffed puppies (his bedtime companions) will keep him happy.

He likes brooms, I know whats going to be his chore when he gets bigger... mwahaha!

If you watch him play he gravitates to things that have holes or can be put together.

Baseballs, soccer balls, bouncy balls, basketballs... he's going to be into sports I'm sure of it! Lately he's really been into playing catch, although he can't really catch he does have a good arm.

He loves the water! You gotta watch out for him, he's a splasher, and he likes to drink it... which is ok but contained bodies of water like baths and pools gives me the hibbidy gibbidies... those waters are pee infested!

Personality:

Zachery has always been a ray of sunshine, he is almost always smiling or laughing and it's so contagious. Once he knows he's got your attention he's such a ham, showing off just to make you laugh. While he's a total goofball, he's also a sensitive soul. It's not unusual to see him completely melt when you tell him "No" or "Stop", he'll give you what I call the "sucker face" complete with a full on lip quiver, it makes you want to cry and laugh all at the same time! We are seeing more and more him asserting more of his own independence, whether that be with feeding himself, or standing up to his big sister when she steals his toys, it's cute but its a hard phase of parenting being patient with this transition from baby to little person.

Bump Watch : 24 Weeks

Ahhhh time is flying, so much so I missed the 22 week update! In the past month lil'miss has been way more active, not just for me but for her daddy too! We can now feel her and see her kicking away regularly and its so neat! 

About the length of an ear of corn this lil' lady is growing bigger and stronger by the day. Over the past month I have noticed her little flutters turn into full on bumps. At about 21 weeks Daddy got to feel her movements for the first time and now can easily see her movements. This part of pregnancy is so neat and special, its a feeling that never gets old.

As for me, I've been feeling great and extra hungry lately... Sevio is baffled daily by how much I can eat. I've also been trying to up my iron intake with lots of green veggies and keep as active as one can when your in a climate that likes to pour every five minutes... so not cool!

Stay tuned for the next bump watch!

Zachery // 10 Months Old

Two months to go and we got ourselves a ONE year old!!

Over this past month we saw 4 teeth pierce their way through... 3 in one week (lots of restless nights then I tell ya!). He's got two bottom (they came first), and 1 and half top.

He broadened his tastebud horizons significantly by pretty much eating everything! The standouts were tofu, chicken, noodles, bread, beef, cheese, egg... this kid loves everything! And eats like a horse... not looking forward to the grocery bill of his teenage years!

He dressed up for his first halloween. He was a monster, and a freakin'deakin cute monster I might add (you can see more HERE).

And the big news of this month is that we've seen him take his first wobbly steps. He can stand on his own and has taken up to 4 or 5 steps before toppling over. I've been betting that he'll be walking by 10 and half months and I think I may just win (the satisfaction of being right).

Here is the face of what its like to eat meat (chicken) for the first time.

Eggtastic? Don't judge a book by its cover... he really did like the eggs.

Noodle Head! And check out that head... he had a run in with that rock wall you see in the background.

I've yet to capture him on video but this is him showing off taking a few steps at Ry's birthday party!

Zachery // 9 Months

The Zach man is 9 months! Ahh! It's just starting to hit me that he's almost a year old! And yes... I've already started planning his birthday... the first year, its a big deal! I even found his first gift yesterday and his birthday shirt today... oh the perks of working at a children's store!

This past month we saw this lil'man standin' his ground! He's been standing for up to 30 seconds on his own before his great descent back to his tush (thank goodness for that extra cloth diaper padding).  It's so weird. It's so exciting! Soon he's going to be chasing his "big" sister, he already does, but soon he's actually going to be able to catch her! 

I don't have much to report for firsts... We did have a quick visit from Grandma (my mom) whom we took to the pumpkin patch (but I'll post about that soon). And Zach did get to celebrate his first Thanksgiving... which was spent with some of Sevio's siblings and Jamma (Sevio's mom). But for some reason or another I didn't take any pictures (shame on me). 

Due to our hectic lives I haven't really tried anything new in the food department apart from quinoa, ... which didn't go over so well haha. Although he has graduated from apple sauce to whole apples, this kid LOVES apples, and if you ever try to take one away from him it will result in a total and complete meltdown.

"seriously mom? What did you just put in my mouth?"

"Nope, I'm not having it, you can have it back"

"Please oh please don't do that again!"

Zachery // Seven To Eight

Geez I did it again! Zachery is growing up way to fast and with our move last month I missed his monthly update! Now I just have to remember...

// Seven Months //

Since Zach's last update he mastered the art of crawling and got quite confident in his standing. Using his mouth as his balancer to pull himself up on practically everything, it was funny when I saw him doing it to the coffee table... but when he was in the bathroom and tried to do it to the toilet I wasn't laughing anymore! So gross! 

For his seventh month he had a lot of firsts. For food he tried out sweet potatoes, peaches, pears, and apricots. He had his first camp out when we all slept out on the trampoline. We discovered he loves, and I mean loves the swing. He met his Aunty Dani and now Uncle Sam for the first time. He went to his first wedding (Dani + Sam's). And this isn't a first but he's got another big move under his belt.

// 8 Months //

Yay we're back up to snuff now. Three days ago little man had his eighth month birthday and I know I say it every month, but I just can't believe it! Over this past month he's really developed in his little character by babbling and laughing way more, he's just such a happy guy. I swear I've even heard him say "Dada" but Sevio thinks I'm crazy. Rylee and him have become so cute to watch, they are really beginning to interact together, although at times we really have to teach Rylee the concept of sharing! We finally got him caught up on his 6 month vaccinations and with that we of course got his measurements. He's gone down a bit in weight I presume from his mobility, he's now 15lbs 7oz., and is  just about 26in. long.

Some of his firsts for this month are:

He met his new cousin Layla. He went to some new places, Whiterock + Cultus Lake. He tried yogurt, and carrots...which possibly gave him a full body rash, which was another first. He's also graduated to some more finger foods with cheerios and blueberries. Another big first was he started going to daycare, and I blame Sevio who got the kids in the car too quickly so now there is no "first day of school" picture.  

Looking forward to the next couple months there's teeth and walking coming soon! 

Zachery // Six Months

Well my goodness our little man is already a half year old!

WHAT?!

I can't believe how fast the time has gone! My scrunched up little newborn is no more, Zach is now 17lbs and a tank! Over the last couple weeks he's been on the move, he started with a combat crawl or just rolled to where he wanted to go. As of last week we can officially say he's a crawler, he's figured out all fours and is a go getter and already trying (and succeeding) at lifting himself up on things to the standing position! 

He's been trying out some new tastes with apples, pears, banana's, avocados, and whole grain rice, and oatmeal cereal. I plan on trying some sweet potato and zucchini with him this week and then some lovely summer fruits: peaches, nectarines, and plums! Yum!

These are a few of his favourite things:

• The water! Bath time, pool time, the lake, warm or cold he loves it!
• Anything and everything he can grab to put in his mouth. Tags, blankets, and socks are some of his favourite things to chew on.
• His sister, just watching her jump around gives him the giggles.
• His little wooden Plan Toys Roller, we just discovered this gem while cleaning out the toy chest and thank goodness cause he loves playing with it and of course eating it. The bright colors, little bell inside, and its ability to roll keep him entertained long enough for me to get something done which is SO nice!
• Organic Baby Mum-Mums, you know those cardboard-like little surfboards...aka baby teething rice cracker. I'm finding it's a great distraction for him while he's in the car. Yes, he may not eat much of it (yet) and break it into a million gagillion pieces but anything is better than a crying baby while your driving.
• Being naked.

These are a few things he's not a fan of:

• His carseat, he's getting better but not a day goes by without him having a fit back there. 
• Having a cold (his first cold, and totally teething related I think!)
• Needles (I mean who is?), he's got more catch up vaccinations next week.
• Being held inward facing, or in the nursing position (when not nursing). This kid is not a snuggler but rather an observer, he wants to see the world and all that's going on.

First Foods // Four to Six Months

In the theme of Beginning Solid's with your baby I thought it'd be good to share some great first foods that are age appropriate for a 4-6 month old.

One would think, and I was one until recently, that a baby's first taste needs to be that of the ever elusive boxed baby cereal! Think again! The old days of Pablum and rice cereal please move aside, our kids want some flavour!

Believe it or not, Avocado, Sweet Potatoes, Banana's, Apples, and Pears are great safe digestible alternatives to start your baby with. Mmmm I can see the drool already...literally...Zach never stops drooling. 

Ok, ok, I have to admit though that both Rylee and Zachery's first tastes were Rice Cereal but that's only because I never knew! Next child (theoretically), I promise to let your taste buds go on an adventure with your very first bite. 

For us it's really important to feed our kids organic, local, and non-GMO foods as much as our income allows. And in these beginning months its still pretty affordable, 1 or 2 apples goes a long way with their little tummies. Understandably eating this way is expensive, but I think if you choose to make it a priority in your home and finances you will be able to make it happen. And trust me when I these foods taste better and are most importantly... better for you, and your precious kids!

Just a few reminders though when introducing foods:

// Don't Worry About The Mess //

Kids are messy, you know this, so don't expect them to dine like elite debutantes. Let them poke and squish what they're eating, it will let them discover food with all their senses. It's not uncommon in our household to put on "messy" clothes or remove clothes entirely when its meal time (unless we're going out, of course)... I'm sorry I'll save myself the money & grief of freaking out over that squished blueberry or spaghetti sauce flung all over those overpriced (but totally adorable) kids clothes. In the meantime, moms/dads it's time to add a Tide-To-Go pen to the diaper bag.

// Nurse or Bottle Feed First //

Your breast milk or formula provide total nutrition for the first year and is packed full of essential vitamins, iron, protein, antibodies, that solid food just can't replace. So continue with your normal feeding and then give your child 1-2 tsp. of pureed baby food, your babe will let you know when he/she is full by refusing to open their mouth or by turning their head away.

// Four Day Rule //

When introducing new foods its important to do it one at a time and wait at least a couple days before starting another. Four days is the safest time to wait, in those four days your watching for any allergic reactions. Things to watch out for are those lovely things like diarrhea, vomiting, rash... if any such things occur stop feeding that food and consult your doctor or pediatrician!

// Variety, Variety, Variety //

Your baby will have its own preference, just like you and I, but nevertheless you should offer a variety of different foods. One reason is so they get a variety of different nutrients; and another because their tastes are evolving and you don't want to limit them just to your tastes. Be adventurous and give them the chance to taste the smorgasbord of flavor this world has to offer. And don't be disappointed if they don't like something, give it a week and try again, babies tastes change frequently. For example, Rylee hated peas...like I'm talking gag reflex the instant they touched her mouth... now she doesn't have a problem with them. So if at first you don't succeed, try, try again!

Here are a list of some safe first foods for your 4 to 6 month old

Is Your Child Is Ready For Solids?

So it begins, Zachery is at the point in his little life where we can begin introducing solids to his diet!

I've read a lot in the past on when and how to begin this journey with your babe, but let me just say, I am in no ways a professional in this area, and this advice is based on a baby with "normal" dietary needs/development.

Introducing solids to a baby's diet is a lot of fun and doesn't have to be stressful or confusing, however, it will be messy... I assure that! I just love this phase, and I love that I can regain a bit of my freedom back but still provide my kids with good healthy food. And umm the look on their face every time they try something new is pretty priceless.

With Rylee and Zachery I started them on organic whole grain rice cereal at 4 months. The recommended age is 4-6 months, and yes I am fully aware that a baby can be nutritionally sustained completely from breast milk and/or formula for their whole first year...but in all honesty, I'm not that patient. Now don't get me wrong I'm not rushing my kids or bunging up their digestive system because of my impatience, rather I watch them for hunger cues that even the professionals tell us parents to look out for. These cues show us pretty spot on when our babes are ready to begin gobbling up solid foods (when we choose to do so is completely up to us as parents, so if you choose to nurse for a year or start out of necessity or just because at 4, 6, 10 months I will not judge you but say, "right on mom/dad, your doing a great job!)

So these are the signs I look for to tell if my kids are ready jump on the solid food train:

// Loss of the Tongue-Thrust Reflex //  

You will know whether your babe has lost this reflex by trial and error or by the testing of a spoon. If something goes in and immediately comes back out...sorry your little one just isn't quite ready yet. This reflex is so important, not only is it beneficial for their sucking back liquids but it protects them against choking, this is a cue not to ignore!

// Interested in What Your Eating //

Obviously when you get into the 4-6 month stage of a babies life they get really curious, but I'm telling you there is a point when your trying to eat something and your babe can't take their eyes off your plate, fork, mouth...they follow your every. single. move. and then soon following an attempt to grab it from you.

// Doubled Birth Weight //

// Growing Appetite //

Given your babe will go through growth spurts and you'll have times of cluster feedings but apart from those times you notice your feeding way more than normal and your little one just isn't content...chances are he/she needs a little more substance.

//Ability to Sit Up & Turn Head //

This is pretty crucial, you want your baby to be able to sit up (with support) and have stable neck support so that they are able to swallow well. Also the ability to turn their head away from the breast or spoon helps for you to read their "fullness" cue. We as parents would just feed until the serving is gone but believe it or not these little ones have a built in ability to self-regulate their food consumption, except apart from us they don't ignore it.

Zachery Turns Five

I've missed a few monthly updates for Mr. Zachery, and low and behold our little man turns five months old this week!

Let me recap the months I missed because they are just as important and when he's this little he seems to be learning and hitting new milestones every week! So lets get to it...

// 3 Months //

I remember this day vividly, it was a stand out kind of day to have your three month birthday on. It was our last day in Chiang Mai, Thailand and we spent most of the day poolside... this is where stand out moment #1 happened. I put Zach down on one of those reclining pool chairs and literally turned for a second to grab the sunscreen out of the bag and "SMACK! .....Waaaaaaahhhhhh", the worst noise a mother can ever hear. Zach rolled.... Zach ROLLED (at 3 months...) off the lounger on to the pool deck. Thank goodness it wasn't high, less than a foot, but it was a hard landing, other than a little scrape on his head our little guy was ok and after some snuggles and "booba" (our family word for nursing) he was right back to his content, smiley self. Stand out moment #2 was that he flew on an airplane for the very first time! We flew from Chiang Mai to Phuket and he was a like a seasoned flyer, we or the other people on the plane didn't  hear one peep out of him the whole flight!

// 4 Months //

Zach weighed in at 6.8 kg (14.9lbs) and spent a majority of his 4th month in the hospital, he wasn't sick, but he stayed with me in Thailand to be with my Dad who had a major accident snorkeling. This was a hard time for our family, we had to split up due to the circumstances, Zach with me and Rylee with Sevio in Canada... talk about long distance relationships! While we were there he became a professional roller, mostly just back to front (this kid loves his tummy time), he learned how to use a soother, and began sitting up on his own. He also met his Grandma (my mom) for the first time ever and got a whole month to bond with her and her alone. It was during this time we learned how great of a joy he is and that his presence through such a difficult time was a true blessing.

// 5 Months //

Our world traveler cleared Canadian immigration and got to reunite with his Daddy and sister on May 19th. Since then he's met just about all of his immediate and some distant family. He survived a road trip over the beautiful Rockies, as we had a conference to attend in Calgary. He's started on "real" food, if thats what you wanna call that lovely mushy rice cereal, and judging by his love for it I think we got ourselves another food lover! He's now 15.8lbs, and just last week he had to get 3 shots to catch up on some of his vaccinations... poor kid wasn't too keen on that. Over this past month we have watched him get stronger and stronger and he is now spinning himself in circles when we put him down, and in the last couple days he's been getting up on his knees and doing the butt wiggle... won't be long now till he'll be on all fours chasing after Rylee! We've also discovered that he loves to be scared...so we've taught Rylee how to do Peek-A-Boo and say Boo and he just erupts into a fit of giggles...honestly the cutest thing ever!